NHTSA Complaint #10147417 — 2001 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER

ON MY 2001 PT CRUISER BOTH LOWER CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS PULLED LOOSE FROM THE ARM WHICH CAUSED THE CAR TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY WHILE MY WIFE WAS DRIVING. WHEN I TOOK THE CAR INTO THE REPAIR SHOP THEY BROUGHT ME OUT TO THE CAR AND SHOWED ME THE DAMAGE TO THE CONTROL ARMS. ODDLY ENOUGH THERE WAS ANOTHER PT CRUISER IN THE NEXT BAY THAT HAD THE VERY SAME PROBLEM. THE OWNER OF THE REPAIR SHOP TOLD ME HE HAD PUT CONTROL ARMS ON AT LEAST 40 PT CRUISERS IN THE PAST YEAR. I ASKED HIM IF HE HAD NOTIFIED CHRYSLER ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND HE SAID HE HAD CONTACTED THEM ON BEHALF OF HIS CUSTOMERS AND CHRYSLER INSISTED THAT THERE WAS NO PROBLEMS WITH THE LOWER CONTROL ARMS. MY PT CRUISER HAS 60,000 MILES ON IT AND THE CAR THAT WAS NEXT TO MINE HAD 34,000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. AS A RESULT OF THIS CONDITION THE FRONT TIRES ON MY CAR WERE DESTROYED DUE TO VIOLENT SHAKING OF THE FRONT END. MY WIFE THOUGHT THE TIRES WERE FALLING OFF. *JB